Wednesday, November 29, 2006

One Book, One City


Deborah Ellis' Looking for X has been chosen by the organizers of Hamilton's One Book, One City event, according to The Hamilton Spectator. Deborah Ellis is the Canadian author of a number of controversial books for young people. Most recently, Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak has faced the most opposition in schools and was banned from or restricted in York and Toronto school libraries.

In choosing Looking for X, the project is highlighting the problems of poverty in Canada. The city of Hamilton will be asked to read the book and interpret the themes through a number of media.

Looking For X is Ellis' 2000 Governor General's Literary Award-winning novel about an 11-year-old girl living in Toronto public housing. Khyber lives in Regent Park with her single mother, a former stripper.

Ellis stated, "Literature is great on a personal level ... when it can be used in the community to move the community forward, I find that very exciting."

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